In business and investing, cautionary tales are everywhere — from the one-hit wonder Wall Street fund manager who delivers one knockout year and then flames out, to the Silicon Valley rising star who builds a killer app and is never heard from again. Those of us who have achieved success at a young age should be terrified by these examples. I’m driven every morning to build a company that creates jobs, wealth and economic opportunity not just for years, but for generations. I can’t imagine how to do that except for being a student of history.
I’ve never liked the old saying that those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. To me, history is a goldmine of proven ideas just waiting to be uncovered. It may just be that the “Next Big Thing” happened long ago.
Nate Paul is President, CEO & Founder of World Class Capital Group, a leading national commercial real estate investment group.
